New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia

The New Martyrs and confessors of Russia were Orthodox Faithful who suffered during the Soviet period (1917 to 1991) for their faith.

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia glorified the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in 1981. Immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Church under the leadership of Patriarch Alexei II began glorifying some of the New Martyr's, beginning with the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, [[Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky) of Kiev and Gallich|Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev], and Metropolitan Benjamin of Petrograd in 1992.[1] In 2000, the All-Russian Council glorified Tsar Nicholas II and his family, as well as many other New Martyrs.[2] More names continue to be added to list of New Martyrs, after the Synodal Canonization Commission completes its investigation of each case.[3]
The Russian Church celebrates the feast of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia on the Sunday nearest January 25th (o.s.) / February 7th (n.s.) -- the date Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev's martyrdom (the first Hieromartyr of the Bolshevik Yoke.